Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
5:~
The present invention relates to a mobile apparatus or
machine combination for sequentially exchanging selected
consecutive groups of old ties in an existing railroad
track, for example every third or fourth tie of the track or
groups of, say, three adjacent old ties, for groups of new
ties while retaining groups of, say, three adjacent old ties
therebetween to support the mobile apparatus on the track,
by means of a succession of different individual devices
operatively coordinated to effectuate different sequential
10 operations for exchanging the selected old ties for the new
ties. Preferably, this apparatus is combined with a train
for loading, transporting and unloading the ties on, in and
from open top railroad cars.
U. S. patent No. 4,253,398, dated March 3, 1981,
discloses a mobile apparatus for the continuous sequential
replacement of all old ties of a track with a track renewal
train which removes the old ties and lays the new ties while
the track rails are lifted and spread apart.
U. S. patent No. 4,611,541, dated September 16, 1986,
20 discloses a continuously advancing ballast cleaning machine
with tie replacement devices, wherein the ballast is
excavated, cleaned and returned while the track is raised a
substantial amount. The tie pulling and inserting devices
are mounted between the swivel trucks supporting the
respective ends of the ballast cleaning machine frame and
are connected to longitudinal displacement drives. These
devices are used only when an obstacle hindering the
operation of the ballast excavating chain is encountered on
the shoulder of the track, i.e. they are merely auxiliary
30 means in the ballast cleaning machine for occasional use.
129SS14
No control or control cab for operation of the auxiliary tie
replacement devices is indicated.
U. S. patent No. 4,301,738, dated November 24, 1981,
discloses an apparatus for the replacement of track rails,
which comprises two successive work vehicles with
projecting, cantilevered machine frame portions. The
leading work vehicle carries longitudinally displaceable
tools for pulling spikes and devices for lifting and
spreading the rails as well as a vertically adjustable
10 receptacle, including a magnetic drum, for the pulled
spikes. The trailing work vehicle carries a crib broom, a
device for placing and inserting tie plates and a tool for
driving the spikes into the ties. The machine has no means
for replacing some or all of the ties.
German patent No. 2,230,202, of August 16, 1973,
discloses a device for clearing ballast from a track bed.
This ballast removing device or scarifier comprises
plate-shaped ballast clearing and planing tools which are
vertically and laterally adjustably mounted on a
20 cantilevered front portion of the machine frame. The
ballast removing plates are preceded by a longitudinally
displaceable push rod which may be driven to push a
respective tie whose fastening elements have been slightly
loosened to enable the ballast removing plates to push the
ballast under the displaced tie towards the track shoulder.
It is also known, and has been widely practiced, to
exchange only groups of ties in an existing track, for
example every third or fourth tie or groups of adjacent ties
between ties retained in the track to enable the sarne to
30 support rolling stock traveling thereover, which is the
S14
technology to which the present invention relates. Such a
partial tie exchange or renewal is repeated every few years
until all the ties of the track have been replaced. Such a
mechanized tie gang has been described on pages 22 to 24 of
"Railway Track and Structures", November 1983. This
mechanized tie gang comprises up to 24 pieces of equipment,
such as tie cranes, spike pullers, tie shears, tie cranes
for handling tie butts, rotary scarifiers, tie injectors,
tampers, rail lifts, spikers and ballast regulators. In the
operation of this tie gang, the old ties are withdrawn and
placed on the shoulders of the track after optionally being
sawn into chunks and they are then loaded onto railroad
cars. The new ties are placed on the track shoulders for
insertion. The loading and unloading of the ties may be
effected at a different time than the tie exchange operation.
The mobile tie exchange apparatus comprises a succession
of coordinated and different individual devices operative to
effectuate different sequential operations for exchanging
the selected ties, such as tie exchange operating devices
equipped for pulling spikes, removing old tie plates,
withdrawing old ties, scarifying the ballast, inserting new
ties, placing new tie plates and driving new spikes. These
tie exchange operating devices are suitably spaced from each
other in the direction of the railroad track for coordinated
operation. Some of such devices are shown in the September
1985 issue of "Railway Track and Structures", including the
tie remover/inserter described and illustrated on pages 49
and 64, the self-propelled tie saw on page 58, the spike
puller and hydraulic track lifter on page 61, the mechanized
plate handling machine on page 66, the anchor tightening
12~5514
machine on page 105, and the spike setter-driver on page
106. Each of these machines are individually operated,
self-propelled devices having their own undercarriages for
supporting them on the railroad track.
In addition to the above-mentioned mechanized tie gang,
other tie-renewal gangs are described on pages 28, 29 and 31
of "Railway Track and Structures", June 1978, and on pages
14 to 16 of the December 1968 issue of this publication.
All of these known mechanized tie gangs are comprised of
varying numbers of some 14 to 24 individual self-propelled
machines, operating personnel being stationed between some
of these machines for effectuating additionally required
operating steps. The exchange of every third or fourth tie
is effected with these known mechanized tie gangs by first
removing the tie clips or anchors from the track, then
pulling the spikes, removing the old tie plates, withdrawing
every third or fourth tie, optionally sawing the withdrawn
tie into chunks, placing the withdrawn ties or tie chunks on
the track shoulder, scarifying the ballast, i.e. excavating
it, in the areas of the track bed which supported the
withdrawn ties, inserting new ties in these scarified track
bed areas, the new ties having been conveyed to, or stored
on, the track shoulder laterally adjacent these areas,
whereupon new tie plates are inserted between the inserted
new ties and the slightly raised railroad track rails, the
new ties are tamped, new spikes are driven into the new ties
to fasten the rails thereto, and the tie clips or anchors
are applied again. In this connection, an independently
operating tie plate distributor car, such as described and
illustrated on pages 93 and 94 of "Progressive Railroading",
1~95514
March 1984, may be used for transporting and storing the old
and new tie plates.
A tie renewal operation with the individual machines
hereinabove described does not only re~uire a large number
of operators, including control and monitoring personnel,
but also blocks long track sections and their neighboring
tracks for a long time so that train traffic is interrupted
for extended periods. The efficiency is low because it is
exceedingly difficult to coordinate the operation of the
many individual machines which are spaced from each other
along the railroad track, causing numerous interruptions in
the operation. In addition, if an attempt is made to pass
some trains on a neighboring track even at low speed, the
operators are exposed to danger. The mechanized tie gangs
of the prior art, as exemplified hereinabove, does not
produce accurate work since it is often difficult, if not
impossible, properly to coordinate the operation of the
individual machines and to align them exactly with the track
line and level for their designated work.
Commonly assigned Canadian patent applications Serial
Nos. 547,629, 547,630 and 547,631, all filed September 23,
1987, disclose a mobile tie replacement apparatus which
comprises at least one elongated bridge-like work vehicle
having two undercarriages supporting respective opposite
ends of the work vehicle on the railroad track, and a
succession of different individual devices mounted on the
work vehicle or vehicles between the undercarriages and
operative to effectuate different sequential operations for
exchanging the selected old ties for the new ties. The
present invention provides specific improvements in such an
apparatus.
i5~4
U. S. patents No. 4,175,902, dated November 27, 1979,
and No. 4,190,394, dated February 26, 1980, disclose an
apparatus and method for loading and unloading open top or
gondola railroad cars for transport of the ties used in such
a tie exchange operation. The apparatus comprises a train
mounted for mobility along the railroad track and includes a
plurality of the open top railroad cars having a
considerable loading volume, adjacent ones of the railroad
cars being coupled together and each railroad car having two
high parallel side walls with top edges and two high end
walls, the end walls of the adjacent railroad cars defining
respective gaps therebetween, and a power-driven crane with
booms for loading and unloading the ties and having two
undercarriages supporting the crane for mobility in the
direction of the railroad track. The undercarriages have
pneumatic tires to enable the crane to be moved along a road
or the railroad track, and the crane also has pivoted
gliding feet or brackets for gripping the top edges, the
relatively widely spaced top edges of the railroad cars
serving as a track for moving the crane along the cars while
the gliding feet grip the top edges. A cable is attached to
the crane to pull the crane along the railroad cars as it is
perched atop the cars. Operation of this apparatus requires
great skill and a number of sometimes life-threatening
manual steps. The movement of the crane between adjacent
cars is particularly difficult and very time-consuming,
which considerably reduces the efficiency of the operation.
The crane movement along and between the cars is quite
unstable, providing unsafe operating conditions and frequent
interruptions. In addition, the tractor used for the crane
5 ~ 4
must be specially designed to enable the crane to effectuate
the required forward and rearward movements on the top edges
of the gondola cars.
The old and new ties may be loaded, transported and
unloaded at the same time or another time by a mobile loader
and unloader installation of the first-described type.
After the tie exchange has been completed, the ballast
supporting the track may be regulated and shaped, and the
track ties may be tamped, with a concomitant track
correction, for example by means of a track tamping,
leveling and lining machine of the type disclosed in U. S.
patent No. 4,534,295, dated August 13, 1985.
It is the primary object of the present invention to
improve apparatus for sequentially exchanging selected
consecutive groups of old ties, such as three ties at a
time, for groups of new ties while retaining groups of old
ties between the selected old ties for support of the mobile
apparatus on the railroad track so that the withdrawal of
the old ties from the track and the insertion of the new
ties may be effected more erficiently, simply and safely.
The above and other objects are accomplished in
accordance with this invention with a mobile apparatus which
comprises at least one bridge-like work vehicle having a
frame defining an upwardly recessed portion between
respective ends thereof, and a succession of different
individual devices mounted in the recessed frame portion of
a respective work vehicle and operative to effectuate
different sequential operations for exchanging the selected
old ties for the new ties, the tie exchanging devices
including at least two tie pulling and inserting devices
12~5S14
arranged for longitudinal displacement within view of an
operator's accommodation, which may be a cab mounted in the
recessed work vehicle frame portion or an operator's seat
mounted on the tie pulling and inserting device. A
respective drive displaces each tie pulling and inserting
device with respect to the work vehicle frame along a
displacement path extending in the direction of the
longitudinal extension of the work vehicle frame.
This surprisingly simple, yet advantageous, novel
arrangement of the tie pulling and inserting devices on a
single, common, continuously advancing installation
substantially rationalizes the tie replacement operation.
The longitudinally displaceable mounting of the two tie
pulling and inserting devices on the bridge-like work
vehicle enables the entire installation to be efficiently
and continuously operated in the manner of a moving assembly
line. During the short operating intervals when the tie
pulling and inserting devices must be kept stationary, the
operator can so control the longitudinal displacement drives
of these devices that they are displaced relative to the
work vehicle in a direction opposite to that of the vehicle
advancement so that the tie replacement can be si~ply and
rapidly effectuated without trouble while the apparatus
proceeds non-stop, the devices in view of the operator's
accommodation being longitudinally displaceably mounted in
the recessed portion of the work vehicle frame.
Furthermore, tie replacement may be effected in whole track
sections at a time, which considerably increases the
productivity and assures better control as compared to the
operation of separately operated and independently movable
-8-
514
individual tie exchanging devices. Mounting these
individual devices on a common mobile apparatus also assures
a more uniform and accurate track renewal. Since it is no
longer necessary to equip each of the individual tie
exchanging devices with their own drives, brakes and the
like, the entire apparatus is much simpler and more
economical, only longitudinal displacement drives being
required for displacing the devices on the work vehicle and
a common power source for these drives being available on
the work vehicle.
The above and other objects, advantages and features of
this invention will become more apparent from the following
detailed description of certain now preferred embodiments
thereof, taken in conjunction with the accompanying somewhat
schematic drawing wherein:
FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of the forward portion
of a mobile apparatus according to one embodiment of the
invention,
FIG. 2 is a top view of FIG. 1,
FIG. 3 is a side elevational view of the rear portion of
the apparatus of this embodiment,
FIG. 4 is a top view of FIG. 3,
FIG. 5 is a side elevational view of the forward portion
of a mobile apparatus according to another embodiment of the
invention, FIG 6 is a top view of FIG. 5,
FIG. 7 is a side elevational view of the rear portion of
the apparatus of this other embodiment, and
FIG. 8 is a top view of FIG. 7.
Referring now to the drawing and first to FIGS. 1 to 4,
there is shown mobile apparatus 1 for sequentially
12~5514
exchanging selected consecutive groups of old ties 12 in
existing railroad track 14 for groups of new ties while
retaining groups of old ties therebetween to support the
mobile apparatus on the track. The illustrated mobile
apparatus comprises a succession of work vehicles coupled
together, including leading work vehicle 2 followed by
second, third and fourth work vehicles 3, 4 and 5, the
coupled together work vehicles forming a train. Each
bridge-like work vehicle has a frame 11 defining an upwardly
recessed portion between respective ends thereof. A
succession of different individual devices are mounted in
the recessed portions of the work vehicle frames and are
operative to effectuate different sequential operations for
exchanging selected old ties 12 for the new ties, the tie
exchanging devices including first tie pulling and inserting
device 37 on work vehicle 3, which serves to pull selected
old ties 12 and precedes second tie pulling and inserting
device 58 on work vehicle 5, which serves to insert the new
ties, the tie pulling and inserting devices being arranged
for longitudinal displacement within view of an operator's
accommodation illustrated in the present embodiment as
operator's cabs 35 and 70 respectively mounted in the
recessed frame portion of work vehicle 3 and 5. Respective
drive 42 and 61 displaces tie pulling device 37 and tie
inserting device 58 with respect to frame 11 of work vehicle
3 and 5 along a displacement path in the direction of the
longitudinal extension of the work vehicle frame.
Drive means 90 (shown at the right in FIG. 3)
continuously advances the train in an operating direction
indicated by arrow 91 and swivel trucks 80 support the work
--10--
S~ii14
vehicle frame ends on railroad track 14. First bridge-like
work vehicle 2 precedes work vehicle 3 which leads trailing
work vehicle 5 in the operating direction. The first work
vehicle carries track-bound double-spike puller 6
longitudinally displaceably mounted in the recessed frame
portion of the first work vehicle, track-bound spike
collecting device 8 comprising magnetic drum 7 arranged to
receive spikes pulled by the spike puller, the spike puller
and spike collecting device having flanged wheels for rolling
support on the track rails, and track-bound self-propelled
ballast clearing device 9 longitudinally displaceably mounted
in the recessed frame portion of work vehicle 2.
A respective double-spike puller 6 is associated with
each rail 13 for pulling spikes at both sides of the rail and
has an operator's seat for controlling the spike pulling
operation. Longitudinal displacement drive 10 connects spike
puller 6 to machine frame 11 of work vehicle 2 for
displacement in the upwardly recessed frame portion of the
work vehicle above track 14. Magnetic drum 7 of spike
collecting device 8 is rotatable counterclockwise by drive 15
and precedes a spike collecting receptacle 16 for storing the
spikes moved thereto by rotating drum 7. A vertical
displacement drive 17 is connected to the magnetic drum for
lifting the same off the track when apparatus 1 is moved
between operating sites. Ballast clearing device 9 includes
514
carriage 26 running on track 14 on flanged wheels 25 and
propelled by drive 28, the carriage supporting operator's
cab 27 and tie puller 18 which is vertically and
transversely adjustable by respective drives 19 and 20. Tie
clamping device 22 adjustable by drive 21 to grip a
respective tie 12, ballast scarifying element 23 immersible
in the ballast adjacent an end of the tie and lifting plate
24 are arranged at the lower end of tie puller 18. The
drives of ballast scarifier 9 are hydraulically operated and
receive their hydraulic power through flexible hoses 29 from
central power supply 30.
An auxiliary carrier frame 44 is mounted in the recessed
frame portion of leading bridge-like work vehicle 3, which
follows first work vehicle 2, first tie pulling and
inserting device 37, a vertical tie conveyor 48 and tie
transporting device 49 being mounted on auxiliary carrier
frame 44. The operator's accommodation is a cab 35 mounted
in the recessed frame portion of leading work vehicle 3.
One of the individual tie exchange devices is tie plate
transporting device 33 mounted in the recessed frame portion
of the leading work vehicle and preceding cab 35 within view
thereof, the tie plate transporting device including drive
means 31, 32 for lifting respective ones of the tie plates
by magnet 34 and displacing the lifted tie plates
longitudinally. The first tie pulling and inserting device
succeeds operator's cab 35 and is within view thereof. It
comprises drives 38 and 39 for raising and transversely
displacing tie clamping device 41 operated by drive 40 for
gripping a respective old tie 12. Tie pulling device 37 is
supported on wheeled carriage 43 slidably mounted on
-12-
125~5514
auxiliary frame 44 and connected to longitudinal
displacement drive 42 for longitudinally displacing the tie
pulling device. Undercarriage 45 supports a forward end of
auxiliary carrier frame 44 with flanged wheels on track
rails 13 while the rear carrier frame end is linked to
recessed frame 47 of work vehicle 3 by joint 46. Vertically
adjustable holding clamp 48 is connected to wheeled carriage
43 and slidably grips the head of rail 13. The tie
transporting device extends below auxiliary carrier frame 44
and therealong, this device being illustrated as an endless
conveyor band mounted on the auxiliary carrier frame and
driven by drive 50. Vertical tie conveyor 51 succeeds tie
pulling device 37 and is connected at the rear end of
auxiliary carrier frame 44 to machine frame 47 by a vertical
drive.
Another auxiliary carrier frame 62 is mounted in the
recessed frame portion of trailing bridge-like work vehicle
5, second tie pulling and inserting device 58, the
associated vertical tie conveyor 69 and tie transporting
device 68 being mounted on the other auxiliary carrier
frame. The operator's accommodation is another cab 70
mounted in the recessed frame portion of the trailing work
vehicle. In the same manner as described hereinabove in
connection with leading work vehicle 3, tie inserting device
58 is supported on wheeled carriage 60 slidably mounted on
auxiliary frame 62 and connected to longitudinal
displacement drive 61 for longitudinally displacing the tie
inserting device. Undercarriage 63 supports a rear end of
auxiliary carrier frame 62 with flanged wheels on track
rails 13 while the forward carrier frame end is linked to
~Z9551 4
recessed frame 65 of work vehicle 5 by joint 64. Vertically
adjustable holding clamp 66 is connected to wheeled carriage
60 and slidably grips the head of rail 13. The tie
transporting device extends below auxiliary carrier frame 62
and therealong, this device being illustrated as an endless
conveyor band mounted on the auxiliary carrier frame and
driven by drive 67. Vertical tie conveyor 69 precedes tie
inserting device 58 and is connected at the front end of
auxiliary carrier frame 62 to machine frame 65. The
arrangement of vertical tie conveyor 51 rearwardly of tie
puller 37 and of vertical tie conveyor 69 in front of tie
inserter 58 has the considerable advantage that the old ties
may be stored on train 1 and the new ties may be supplied to
the tie inserter directly from the train without the need of
depositing the ties on the track shoulders.
As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, self-propelled tie tamping
device 71 is longitudinally displaceably mounted in the
recessed frame portion of trailing bridge-like work vehicle
5 and succeeds the other auxiliary carrier frame 62 and a
further operator's cab 72 is mounted in the recessed frame
portion of the trailing bridge-like work vehicle, the tie
tamping device preceding the further operator's cab.
Tamping device 71 comprises a carrier frame running on front
and rear undercarriages on the track and being propelled by
drive 73, cab 72 being mounted on the carrier frame. The
carrier frame also supports tamping heads 74 with vibratory
and reciprocatory tamping tools arranged to be immersed in
the ballast for tamping the same under the newly inserted
ties. Tie positioning device 75 is associated with the tie
tamping device and is arranged between the reciprocatory tie
-14-
3SS14
tamping tools. The tie positioning device is transversely
displaceable on the carrier frame by drive 76 for suitably
positioning the newly inserted ties. The tie positioning
device is also connected to a vertically adjustable drive and
has a tie gripping clamp at its lower end. Drive 73 and the
operating drives of tie tamping device 71 are hydraulic drives
connected by flexible hoses 78 to central power supply 79.
As shown at the left in FIGS. 3 and 4, self-propelled
device 53 for clearing and planing ballast serving to support
10the new ties and filling cribs therebetween is arranged
between a rear one of the swivel trucks of leading work
vehicle 3 and a front one of the swivel trucks of trailing
work vehicle 5. In the illustrated embodiment, this device is
mounted in the upwardly recessed frame portion of third work
vehicle 4, is propelled by drive 52 and includes further
operator's cab 57. Device 53 runs on flanged wheels on the
track rails and has two ballast clearing devices associated
with each rail, each ballast clearing device 54 being
connected to drives 55 and 56 for adjusting the devices
~longitudinally in the operating direction as well as
transversely thereto. The operation of the ballast clearing
; ~ -15-
,,~
1295514
and planing devices is controlled from cab 57. The drives
are again hydraulically operated and connected by flexible
hoses to a central power supply. The arrangement of ballast
clearing and planing device 9 ahead of tie pulling device 18
and ballast clearing and planing device 53 ahead of tie
inserting device 58 has the advantage of enabling the tie
exchange to proceed trouble-free and more rapidly since it
will facilitate the work of the stationary devices during
the tie exchange operation before they are displaced
longitudinally with respect to the respective work vehicle
frame so that the speed of the continuous advance of train 1
may be increased.
As shown at the right in FIG. 1 and at the left in FIG.
3, storage space for stack 81 of the selected old ties and
stack 82 of the new ties respectively is provided above the
rear swivel truck of work vehicle 3 and the front swivel
truck of work vehicle 5, more particularly at the points
where the front and rear ends of third work vehicle 4 are
pivotally coupled to the preceding and succeeding work
vehicles, respectively. Each stack of ties may be comprised
of six layers of seven ties each. As more specifically
describea in the previously mentioned copending patent
applications, coupled work vehicles 2, 3, 4 and 5 form a
train with preceding tie transporting car 83, which
continuously advances in the operating direction indicated
by arrow 91. The tie transporting car is an open-top
freight car for loading the ties and had two parallel side
walls with top edges 84 extending in the direction of
railroad track 14 and continuous guide track 85 extends
along the top edges of car 83 and the frames of the work
514
vehicles. Power-driven crane 86 is movable along the guide
track for transporting the ties. The crane has front and
rear undercarriages each having pairs of flanged wheels 87
running on the rails of continuous guide track 85 and is
propelled by drive 88 along the track. It is equipped with
a pair of gripper arms 89 rotatable about a vertical axis
and vertically adjustable for gripping and lifting stacks 81
and 82 of ties. Such a work train has the advantage of
providing not only for the simple and rapid transportation
and storage of the old and new ties in an efficient and
independent operating unit which advances continuously
during the tie exchange but allows the work to be organized
more effectively and to enable tie exchange operations to be
effected during shorter intervals between trains. The
power-driven crane makes it possible to transport the old
and new ties rapidly atop the work train without interfering
with the work of the tie exchange devices mounted in the
recessed frame portions of the work vehicles. The
arrangement of a succession of work vehicles carrying
various tie exchange devices for effectuating tie exchange
operations in addition to withdrawing the old ties and
inserting the new ties has the advantage that a variety of
necessary tie exchange operations may be carried out
simultaneously at different sites along the track while
train 1 advances non-stop. This provides an assembly line
tie exchange operation of high efficiency. Since each tie
exchange device has its own longitudinal displacement drive
for displacing the device during the non-stop advance of the
train, the operator of each device can move the device
within the recessed frame portion of a respective work
~ 5514
vehicle as required by the prevailing operating conditions.
This assures the highest efficiency combined with accuracy
and uniformity of the tie exchange operation in a highly
economical manner. For this purpose, commercially proven
individual tie exchange devices may be used, and such
devices may simply be equipped with longitudinal
displacement drives for incorporation into the mobile
apparatus of the present invention.
As shown at right in FIG. 3, drive 90 advanced train 1
non-stop in the operating direction indicated by arrow 91.
To assure safe running of two-axled swivel trucks 80 on
track rails 13, particularly when, for instance, groups of
three successive ties are exchanged between groups of three
retained ties, the swivel trucks are equipped with rail
guide devices 92 which securely maintain the gage of track
14.
As shown at right in FIG~ 1, a stack of collected tie
plates resting on a retained old tie 12 is designated by
reference numeral 93.
In FIG. 3, preferably hydraulically operated drive 94 is
shown at the rear end of work vehicle 4 for movement against
the lowest layer of stack 82 of new ties. Coupling rod 95
can be connected to tie tamper 71 at the rear end of work
vehicle 5 to move the tamper with the work vehicle when
train 1 is moved from one operating site to another.
Tie exchange work train 1 illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 4
operates in the following manner:
Drive 90 is operated to advance train 1 to the operating
site, open-top freight car 83 being loaded with new ties.
When the operating site has been reached, operators are
-18-
35Sl~
placed in the various operator's accommodations on work
vehicles 2 to 5 for operation of the individual tie exchange
devices while the train is advanced non-stop by drive 90 in
an operating direction indicated by arrow 91. The operator
on the operator's seat on double-spike puller 6 at each
track rail 13 operates the spike pulling tools at the left
and right of each rail to pull the spikes out of those old
ties which are to be exchanged, for example of a group of
three adjacent ties. While the spikes are pulled, drive 10
holds spike puller 6 stationary with respect to track 14.
After all the spikes are pulled, longitudinal displacement
drive 10 is operated to displace the spike puller to its
forward end position with respect to frame 11 of work
vehicle 2. In this end position, the spikes are pulled from
a succeeding group of old ties. The pulled spikes are
collected by operating drive 15 to rotate magnetic drum 7
and transport the magnetically held spikes to storage
container 16.
Meanwhile, the operator in cab 27 on first work vehicle
2 operates the vertically adjustable ballast scarifier tools
23 of ballast clearing and planing device 9 to move the
ballast away from the end of a respective old tie 12, or
groupf of old ties. This facilitates gripping of the tie
end by tie clamping device 22. Drive 20 is now operated to
withdraw the tie, from which the spikes were previously
pulled, laterally a distance of about one third the tie
length. This partial tie withdrawal operation begins while
the ballast clearing and planing device is in its forward
end position where it is held stationary during the
operation with respect to the track. Since train 1
--19--
~.2~551~
continuously advances, however, ballast clearing and planing
device 9 is continuously displaced rearwardly with respect
to the work vehicle into the rear end position indicated in
FIG. 1 in dash-dotted lines. In this end position, the
ballast clearing and partial tie withdrawal operations have
been completed. Drive 28 is now operated for the rapid
forward displacement of ballast clearing and planing device
9 into the forward end position to be ready for the
succeeding ballast clearing and partial tie withdrawal
operation. To facilitate the partial withdrawal of the tie,
the track rail in the range of the tie to be withdrawn is
momentarily lifted by lifting plate 24.
At the front end of succeeding work vehicle 3, partially
withdrawn old ties 12 are sensed by tie plate transport
device 33 whose magnet 34 picks up the tie plates loosely
lying on these ties. The collected tie plates are then
deposited in a stack 93 on next tie 12 retained in track
14. The operator in cab 35 with control panel 36 operates
tie plate transport device 33 as well as succeeding tie
puller 37. The tie puller has tie gripping tool 41 for
gripping the end of each partially withdrawn tie to pull the
tie completely out of track 14 by operation of lateral
displacement drive 38. Again, tie pulling device 37 remains
stationary with respect to track 14 during each tie pulling
operation while auxiliary carrier frame 44, which supports
the tie pulling device, advances continuously on
undercarriage 45 with train 1. Each completely withdrawn
~ie 12 is lifted onto tie conveyor 49 by vertically
adjusting tie gripping tool 41 by drive 39. The tie
conveyor transports the old ties to vertical tie conveyor
-20-
~Z~551~
51. This may be a fork lift arranged, for example, to
receive a layer of six ties, after which it is raised to
deposit the layer of ties on stack 81 of old ties. To
prevent undercarriage 45 from being lifted off track 14
during the tie withdrawal operation, auxiliary carrier frame
44 is held on the track by clamping device 48 which glidably
grips the rail head. After tie puller 37 has reached its
rear end position indicated in dash-dotted lines in FI~. 1,
at which point the tie pulling operation has been completed,
it is rapidly advanced to its forward end position by
operation of longitudinal displacement drive 42. In this
end position, the following tie pulling operation commences.
The ballast in the section of the track bed from which
old ties 12 have been withdrawn is smoothed or planed by
ballast clearing and planing device 53 carried by work
vehicle 4. For this purpose, shovel-shaped ballast clearing
elements 54 are transversely and longitudinally displaced by
operation of drives 55, 56 to displace the ballast towards
the track shoulders. This operation is controlled by an
operator in cab 57 and, after the ballast clearing and
planing operation has been completed, device 53 is displaced
into its forward end position shwon in dash-dotted lines in
FIG. 3 by operation of drive 52. The following ballast
clearing and planing operation is then effected in this
position.
The insertion of the new ties is effected by tie
inserter 58 at the front end of work vehicle 5 (see FIG.
3). For this purpose, drive 94 is actuated to push a new
tie from stack 82 to the vertical conveyor 69 which is a
chute slidingly conveying the new tie to tie transport
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device 68 where tie gripping device 59 of the tie inserter
grips the tie and inserts it laterally into the track.
During the tie inserting operation, tie inserter 58 moves
relatively to auxiliary carrier frame 62, i.e. it remains
stationary with respect to the track. As soon as the tie
inserter has reached its rear end position, indicated in
dash-dotted lines in FIG. 3, the operator in cab 70 actuates
drive 61 to displace the entire tie inserting device with
its sliding carriage 60 longitudinally in its front end
position shown in full lines. Meanwhile, the next new tie
has been moved from stack 82 to tie transporting device 68
so that this tie is ready for insertion. To increase the
efficiency of the tie inserting operation, the new ties are
inserted into the track only about two thirds of their
length, analogously to the tie withdrawal operation with
device 18 described hereinabove in connection with FIG. 1.
Also analogously to that operation, the new tie is fully
inserted by tie positioning device 75 which grips the
partially inserted tie and pushes it into the track by
actuation of transverse drive 76, any ballast on the tie
being removed therefrom as the tie slides under the rails.
As soon as the new tie is in its proper position, ballast is
tamped under it by tamping device 71 as the tamping device
moves relatively to continuously advancing work vehicle 5,
i.e. remains stationary with respect to the track. AS soon
as the tamping device has reached its rear end position,
indicated by dash-dotted lines in FIG. 3, the operator in
cab 72 actuates drive 73 to move it rapidly back into the
front end position indicated in full lines. In this
position, the next tie positioning and tamping operation is
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performed. When the train moves from one operating site to
another, tamping device 71 is connected to machine frame 65
of work vehicle 5 by means of coupling rod 95 (shown in
dash-dotted lines) to move the tamping device with the work
vehicle. The same temporary coupling to work vehicles 2 and
4, respectively, is provided for ballast clearing and
planing devices 9 and 53.
While train 1 advances non-stop along the operating site
and independently of the operation of the individual tie
exchange devices described hereinabove, motor crane 86
transports stacks 81 of old ties along guide track 85 to tie
transport car 83 atop the train. Immediately after a stack
of old ties is deposited in the transport car, a stack 82 of
new ties is gripped by gripper arms 89 of the crane and is
transported to the storage space provided between third and
fourth work vehicles 4 and 5.
Another embodiment is illustrated by train 96 in FIGS. 5
to 8, the train comprising four successive and coupled work
vehicles 97, 98, 99 and 100 preceded by tie transport car
100. The train moves continuously in an operating direction
indicated by arrow 102 along track 106 consisting of rails
105 fastened to ties 104. The ends of the bridge-like work
vehicles are supported on the track by double-axles swivel
trucks 103.
As shown in the drawing, one of the tie exchange devices
in this embodiment is track-bound spike puller 107
longitudinally displaceably mounted in a recessed portion of
frame 109 of first bridge-like work vehicle 97 and running
on flanged wheels on track 106, drive 108 connecting the
spike puller to frame 109 for longitudinal displacement
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thereof. Track-bound spike collecting device 111 comprising
magnetic drum 110 and constructed like the spike collecting
device in the previously described embodiment is arranged in
the recessed frame portion of the first work vehicle
immediately behind the spike puller to receive spikes pulled
by the spike puller. Track-bound self-propelled ballast
clearing or scarifying device 112 is also longitudinally
displaceably mounted in the recessed frame portion of the
first work vehicle. The ballast clearing device includes an
operator's seat or cab, a tie extractor 113 effective to
clear the ballast to the shoulders of the track and a track
lifting mechanism 114. The tie extractor comprises tools
longitudinally and transversely displaceably mounted on
carriage llS. A drive is connected to ballast clearing
device 112 for longitudinal displacement thereof.
Another individual tie exchange device constituted by
tie plate transporting device 118 is mounted in the recessed
portion of frame 119 of second work vehicle 98 and includes
longitudinal displacement and lifting drive means 116, 117
for lifting respective ones of the tie plates. Two tie
pulling and inserting devices 120, 121 immediately adjacent
each other in the operating direction and serving to pull
the selected old ties are mounted in the recessed frame
portion of the second work vehicle. The tie pulling devices
are suspended in the recessed frame portion by flanged
rollers running on guide tracks and are connected to drives
122 for longitudinal displacement. Each tie pulling device
comprises tie clamping device 123 arranged intermediate two
lifting plates 124 engageable with the rail head and
vertically adjustably mounted on frame 125. The operator's
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accommodation is an operator's seat on the tie pulling
device frame. Vertical tie conveyor 126 is mounted in the
recessed frame portion of second work vehicle 98 succeeding
the tie pulling devices at the rear end of this vehicle and
comprises an endless conveyor chain 127 driven by drive 128.
As shown in FIG. 7, two like tie pulling and inserting
devices 140, 141 serving to insert the new ties and a like
vertical tie conveyor 135 preceding the same are mounted in
the recessed portion of frame 134 of fourth work vehicle
100, the operator's accommodation being an operator's seat
167 on each tie inserting device. The vertical tie conveyor
comprises conveyor chain 137 driven by drive 136 and
conveyor band 138 is arranged between stack 133 of new ties
and vertical tie conveyor 135, a longitudinally displaceable
tie gripping device 139 being associated with the conveyor
band to grip and move each new tie to the vertical tie
conveyor. Each tie inserting device is connected by drive
142 to frame 134 of the fourth work vehicle for longitudinal
displacement of the tie inserting device relative thereto.
Self-propelled tie tamping device 143 is also
longitudinally displaceably mounted in the recessed frame
portion of the fourth bridge-like work vehicle and succeeds
tie inserting device 141. Drive 144 connects the tie
tamping device to frame 134 of work vehicle 100 for
longitudinal displacement of the tie tamping device relative
to the work vehicle frame and undercarriage 146 supports a
rear end of frame 145 of the tie tamping device on the
track. The tie tamping device comprises ballast sweeping
brush 147 which is vertically adjustably mounted at the
front end of tamping device frame 145 and tamping units 148
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are vertically adjustably mounted on the frame for immersion
in the ballast adjacent the respective track rails. Further
operator's cab 149 is mounted on frame 134 of bridge-like
work vehicle 100, the tie tamping device immediately
preceding the further operator's cab. Cab 149 holds the
central drive control for the train and a control 150 for
tie tamping device 143, the train drive being located on
rear swivel truck 103.
As shown at the left in FIG. 7, a third bridge-like work
vehicle 99 has the respective ends of upwardly recessed
frame 129 supported on a rear swivel truck of second work
vehicle 98 and a front swivel truck of fourth work vehicle
100. Self-propelled device 130 for clearing and planing
ballast serving to support the new ties and filling cribs
therebetween is mounted on the third work vehicle, this
device being like device 53 described in connection with
FIG. 3, the drives being preferably powered by Diesel motor
131 or from a central power plant on the train. A
respective storage space for stack 132 of the selected old
ties and of stack 133 of the new ties is arranged above the
rear and front swivel trucks.
This arrangement increases the efficiency of the tie
exchange operation by providing pairs of tie pulling and
inserting devices for pulling the selected old ties and
inserting the new ties while the mobile apparatus advances
non-stop. In this apparatus, too, it is possible to use
commercially successful individual tie exchange devices,
such as spike pullers and spike collecting devices, ballast
scarifiers and tie pullers and inserters, for the respective
operations.
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lZ9551 4
As in the first-described embodiment, continuous track
152 extends along top edges 151 of open-top tie transport
car 101 and of the succeeding work vehicles of train 96 and
two motor cranes 153, 154 respectively propelled by drives
155, 156 are supported on the rails of track 152 by front
and rear undercarriages each having two flanged wheels
engaging each track rail. Front motor crane 153 is equipped
with vertically adjustable gripper arms 159 rotatable about
a vertical axis for transporting a stack 132, 133 of ties.
Rear motor crane 156 is equipped with two L-shaped retaining
ledges 160 spaced from each other by a distance
corresponding to the length of the ties for holding several,
for example six, ties, the tie retaining ledges being
pivotal towards and away from each other transversely to the
elongation of the apparatus for respectively gripping and
releasing the ties.
The operation of train 96 will partly be obvious from
the above description of its structure and will now be
described in detail:
As explained in connection with the embodiment of FIGS.
1 to 4, the spikes are respectively pulled from the selected
old ties and collected by devices 107 and 111 on first work
vehicle 97. The ballast is cleared at the ends of the
selected old ties and in an adjacent area of the track
shoulder by ballast clearing and planing tools 113 of device
112 and rail 105 is then slightly lifted by track lifting
device 114 so that tie 104 to be exchanged may be slid out
of track 106 by hook-shaped tie extractor 161 which is
transversely displaceable (see FIG. 6). At this point, tie
104 is transversely displaced a distance corresponding to
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about one third to one half of the tie length. Preferably,
a group 162 of adjacent ties 104 is so displaced. In the
same manner as described in connection with the embodiment
of FIGS. 1 to 4, the loosened tie plates are received and
stored by tie plate transporting device 118 on second work
vehicle 98.
As train 96 continues to advance, the partially pulled
old ties are gripped by clamping device 123 of tie pullers
120 and 121 and are completely pulled out of track 106 and
placed on the track, as shown at 163 in FIG. 5. As in the
operation of all the individual tie exchange devices, tie
pullers 120, 121 are displaced longitudinally relative to
the frame of the work vehicle during their operation, i.e.
they remain stationary with respect to track 106. Also,
after their operation has been completed, the operator
within whose view the tie exchange device is arranged
actuates the longitudinal displacement drive connected
thereto to return the tie exchange device to its front end
position. Old ties 163, which have been successively placed
on track 106, are received on vertical tie conveyor 126 and
lifted to storage space 164 on frame 119 of second work
vehicle 98. As soon as a layer of, say, six old ties has
been placed in storage space 164, retaining ledges 160 of
motor crane 156 are pivoted towards each other to grip the
ends of the ties and the crane is moved to deposit this
layer of old ties on stack 132.
Also similarly to the operation of the embodiment of
FIGS. 1 to 4, the ballast area from which the old ties have
been removed is cleared and planed by device 130 on third
work vehicle 99. Vertical tie conveyor 135 then lays new
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ties 165 on track 106 where they are gripped by the clamping
tools of tie inserters 140, 141 and are inserted into track
106 while lifting plates 124 slightly raise track rails 105
to facilitate the sliding of the new ties under the track
rails. Again, the operator on seats 167 controls the
operation of the tie inserters. Tie tamping device 143 may
be coupled to fourth work vehicle 100 by rods 170 when the
train is moved from one operating site to another. Like
temporary coupling rods are provided for ballast scarifiers
112 and 130.
Finally, group 169 of new ties is tamped by tie tamping
device 148, rotatable ballast brush 147 cleaning any ballast
off the new ties. In a succeeding operating stage, new ties
165 are fastened to rails 105.
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